


Painting Over Scars

by Garecc



Series: Swirling Colors [4]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: Bonding Through Trauma, Chapter 2:, Family, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Painting, Sibling Bonding, The Comfort Part, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2019-10-29 02:23:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17799326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Garecc/pseuds/Garecc
Summary: The final book in swirling colors.Hermes has finally managed to pullHimselftogether. Things are looking up. But as soon as he stops glowing, he's being recalled to Olympus.Essentially Artemis and Hermes talking and bonding with eachother.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [youurelovely](https://archiveofourown.org/users/youurelovely/gifts).



The euphoric feeling of bits and pieces of **Himself** slotting into their proper places was almost like a drug.

He felt whole for the first time in a long time.

He felt _right_ for the first time in a long time.

It was like a wave of energy flowed through his being, rejuvenating and _existing._

He didn't feel sick.

He felt _powerful._

He felt _alive._

Ichor thrummed through him, and for the first time in ages, he felt _real._

He was absolutely _itching_ to shed this guise and become **himself** , but he couldn't do that yet.

He opened his eyes, blinking for a long moment.

Everything even _looked_ brighter.

Apollo was positively beaming.

Hermes went to speak, but suddenly he felt an almost tug.

He was being recalled to Olympus.

His stomach dropped to his feet.

He didn't want to leave.

He took a step towards Apollo and hugged him.

He didn't want to leave.

“I'm being called back. I have to go.”

Apollo's arms snapped around him, hugging back just as tight. “Oh.”

Hermes hastily pulled away after a moment. Caduceus in hand, full size.

“I love you,” Hermes said quickly, eyes flickering around.

“I love you too,” Apollo's voice was solemn, but understanding. “Tell Artemis I love her, will you?”

“I will. I promise. Thank you,” The pulling feeling got harsher, more impatient. “This is worth like, 10 favors.”

Apollo smiled a bit. “Love you.” He looked away, and Hermes _focused_.

And **He** burst forth.

His essence whisked itself away to Olympus. He appeared in the center of the room.

Eyes flitting across the mostly empty thrones.

Artemis sat upon her throne, staring at him intently.

Apollo's throne was missing. Simply gone.

Hestia's throne sat its old spot between Demeter and Athena.

He had _never_ seen the throne room without it.

“Hermes.” Zeus's voice booked through the room, Hermes took a long breath, sterling himself and he walked towards his father, kneeling at the base of the throne, forcing his fear back, he waited until he was told to rise.

 

~0~

 

Zeus's voice still echoing in his ears as he walks from the throne room. His hands are clenched at his sides as he fights to keep them from trembling.

He hears Artemis stand up from her throne and walk after him.

He walks faster.

_She didn't come for him._

“Hermes!” Artemis called.

He sprinted away, knowing she would never catch up.

_She left him there._

“Hermes wait!” He heard Artemis running, but the only person who can outrun him is Apollo.

He took a sharp left, relying more on memory that sense.

He knew Olympus like he knew **Himself** , he ran these streets his entire life.

Now Hermes hadn't been on Olympus much since Annabeth started remodeling, between work and war and being captured and tortured, he hasn't gotten used to the new layout.

Not to mention he wasn't in the best shape physically.

So it shouldn't have been as much of a surprise that he tripped as it was, but one moment he was running, and the next he was falling. And he would have fallen flat on his hands, if not for the hand that clasped around his shoulder, pulling him up and steadying him.

Hermes shrugged Artemis's hand off, looking anywhere but his sister's face.

“Why did you run?” She asked, Hermes almost flinched at how hurt she sounded. _Almost_.

“I don't want to talk to you right now.”

“Why not?”

“Reasons. Apollo sends his love by the way.” Hermes ignored how her breath hitched at that, pushing past her, and continuing to walk away.

He didn't even know where he was going.

_Artemis left him to be tortured for 6 months._

“Hermes! Is it something I did?”

He hated how worried she sounded. He hated the concern in her voice.

“Yes.” He answered shortly.

She sucked in a breathe.

Hermes started walking a bit faster. but Artemis followed. “What did I do?”

Hermes almost laughed. _How could she not know?_

“Do you really not know?”

“No.”

“You didn't come.”

Artemis stopped where she stood. “Oh.”

“You see? Now just. _Leave me alone._ I.. I have work I need to do.”

“I'm sorry?” Her voice was almost questioning.

Hermes froze, slowly turning to face her.

She took a moment to catch her nerves. “I'm sorry.”

She was completely sincere.

Hermes felt emotions shift inside him, but he just turned and walked away. Slowly.

“I was forbidden.”

Then there was anger. Hermes whirled around. “I don't CARE if you were forbidden!” He seethed. “I don't CARE! They were TEARING ME APART PIECE BY PIECE FOR MONTHS. I was LOSING MY MIND." His voice was starting to shake. He hated it. He hated feeling this weak. "And you DIDN’T COME FOR ME. You LEFT me. You let them TORTURE ME."

Artemis's eyes were wide. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again.

Hermes hated the tears gathering in his eyes. "You could have come. You could have talked your way out of it. You left me. You didn't come." His voice was shaky and wet with emotion. He wiped furiously at his eyes. "Why? Why didn't you come?"

“...Apollo had to save you. It was fate.”

Hermes flinched.

“I couldn't intervene. I _wanted_ to Herms. But I _can't_ change fate. If- If I did. Things would have been _so much worse_ for Apollo. He's mortal Hermes. He can _die._ You are strong. Immortal. You could survive. I _couldn't_ risk Apollo. I _couldn't._ ”

Hermes's next breathe came out a strangled sob.

“It was.. It was horrible watching you suffer. But I _couldn't_ endanger Apollo.”

Hermes felt the right drain out of him. He didn't know what to say.

Artemis laughed a bit hysterically. Opening her arms, offering a hug. Hermes buried himself into her arms, and the world shifted around them, in a room in Artemis's palace.

Hermes didn't want to let go. He felt like if he let go she would disappear.

He felt no anger anymore.

He just felt tired.

Weary and exhausted.

There was still a part of him half convinced that at any moment he might blink and find himself back in that room, fading.

He didn't want to fade.

It was a while before Hermes pulled away.

The room shifted into more of a living room, plush couches and pillows and blankets appearing. Artemis lead him to a couch and they sat down.

Hermes still looked about 16.

He still had Apollo's hoodie on, still large on him, despite the fact he was no longer half starved.

He leaned onto Artemis's shoulder, forcing himself to relax.

With a wave of Artemis's hand, a blanket pulled itself over him.

Hermes couldn't help but smile a bit.

Artemis took a long breath. "It hurt to watch you waste away like that, Herms. Buy.. You're one of the strongest people I know, I knew you would be okay.”

She sounded like she was reassuring herself rather than him.

"I'm glad you're free now. I.."

She cleared her throat. Her gaze getting a bit cloudy. "I know it's nothing to compare with. As it was far less than six months but.. Being abandoned is terrifying.”

Hermes froze a but.

“When.. When Atlas held me in Othrys.. I was _so sure_ Apollo would come for me. And he _didn't_. Demigods did. If.. If It helps at all, I understand abandonment. My.. My ordeal was nowhere near as bad as your captivity but.. If you need- or just want to talk I'm here. Okay?"

Hermes felt more shock than anything.

He didn't know what to say.

Artemis _never_ talked about Othrys. _Never._

It was in the list of subjects not to bring up unless you wanted an arrow in you.

"Okay.” His voice was smaller than he would have liked.

There was a pause before he continued.

"I don't think.. That your ordeal was any lesser than my captivity.. I.. Might have been held longer. But you had to hold up the sky.. Let's not compare worseness alright?"   
Artemis's next breath was long and with a tremble. "Okay."

Hermes snuggled into her shoulder. "Let's just.. Watch some tv. I need to catch up on some shows anyway.."


	2. The Final Chapter Holy Shit I Actually Finished A Fic Series

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically Hermes and Artemis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This entire chapter was written in comic sans in google docs

Hermes knew he should be working.   
Knew he should be working on getting everything back in order.   
But he couldn't.

It was too silent. 

Too bleak.

He couldn't focus.

He could never focus anymore.

He tried. He tried  _ so hard _ to focus on his work. 

But his thoughts drifted incessantly. Floating between wondering if Apollo was alright, wondering if he’ll ever get this done.

Day after day he tried to work. Tried to just  _ do his job as he had been for years. _

No matter how much he wanted to work, he couldn't focus.

He couldnt  _ ever focus, _   
His internal clock wasn't working. He would be minutes off. Time stacking and building until he had no idea when it was.   
He couldn't push himself anymore. He couldn't force himself to work days past the point where he knew he should stop.

He  _ knew  _ he couldn't.

He knew he shouldn't even try, because he didn't have the  _ energy to do so. _

That didn't stop him.

The only easy way to build up energy would be eating actual meals regularly.

He didn't have time for that.   
And _ caffeine. _ Where normally he would use it to process things faster, to speed up his mind and  _ get things done.  _ He didn't have the energy to safely drink it.   
(He tried, oh he tried. But he got dizzy and he couldn't focus  _ at all _ .)

Where he would normally isolate himself and just.. Not speak with people.

Isolation made him  _ anxious. _   
He couldn't keep up with work. 

He couldn't keep track of everything and his internal clock  _ refused to work _ and he couldn't endlessly and he just  _ couldn't do it anymore. _

It was  _ frustrating. _

He had worked like that for  _ years  _ and he was  _ fine. _

_ But he just couldn't anymore. _

He wasn't fine.

He often felt like Artemis was the only thing between him and _ complete insanity. _

Day after day he would run out of the patience to even try to work and Artemis would always end up hugging while he tried not to cry.   
He wasn't well enough to work like this.   
And he knew it.   
But he  _ had to. _   
Or everything would fall apart _ again. _

 

~0~

 

Artemis was worried.

Wasn’t she always worried these days?

Hermes.. Had hardly exited his study since he was forced to return to Olympus.

When he did miraculously show his face, it was usually to collapse in a sad lump next to her. Frustrated near to tears.

He wasn't eating well. That worried her more than she wanted to admit.

It was like he just  _ didn't care enough to take care of himself. _

And that  _ worried her. _

He was trying to force himself to work as if  _ nothing had happened. _

They both knew it was hurting him. That it wasn't helping  _ anything _ . And that it only made everything  _ worse. _

Hermes got defensive whenever she tried to ask him to roll it back a bit, and Artemis had no idea how to get him to  _ stop. _

She wasn't Apollo. She couldn't just drag him away from his work and expect him to actually listen. 

Apollo.

Her heart  _ ached  _ at the thought of her twin.

Of the  _ danger he’s in. _

It hurt.

And she  _ couldnt  _ stop worrying.

With everything in mind, Artemis wasn't at all surprised when Hermes materialized next to her.

He let his head fall against her shoulder. 

“Hey.” She reached up, and wrapped an arm around him. Pulling him closer.

“I  _ hate this. _ I  _ hate this so much. _ I can't  _ focus  _ or  _ work  _ and  _ it's just so dumb. _ ”

“It really isn't Herms.”

“I’m  _ fine now though.  _ I’m whole. I have unlimited food.  _ I’m fine.  _ Yet  _ I can't focus on my job. _ ”

“...You still went through a traumatic experience. You shouldn't just expect yourself to be fine.”

“ _ You were fine after Atlas. _ ” He snapped, straightening up.

Artemis felt.. Almost cold. 

Hermes looked regretful a mere  _ second later.  _ “I- I mean.”

Artemis just felt tired. “I.. really wasn't Hermes.”

“...you could—”

“I had nightmares for  _ years.  _ I  _ still  _ have nightmares. I refused to go on a hunt alone for  _ months.  _ I was certainly not  _ fine  _ Hermes.”

“..sorry.” He wrapped his arms protectively around himself.

“ _ And.  _ It's  _ hardly been three months  _ since you were rescued. Don't expect yourself to be fine”

“It's just  _ so frustrating.  _ I  _ used to be able to work for days. _ ”

“It wasn't a good thing then either.”

“ _ Shut up.  _ It was  _ fine  _ and I can't  _ do that anymore  _ and  _ it's frustrating.  _ I can hardly even  _ sit in my office. _ ”

“Why is that?”

“ _ I don't know! _ ”

Artemis sighed. “Well, maybe we can at least fix that issue.”

“ _ How? _ ”

“By making your office less of a minimalists paradise.”

“I need to  _ not be distracted.  _ I can't  _ focus already. _ ”

“Well, it might at least give us something to do other than sit around and wallow in existential dread.”   
“It won't help anything.”

“Let's wait until we finish to judge that.”

 

~0~

 

“This is.. Worse than I expected” Artemis muttered, staring around the practically empty room. “No  _ wonder  _ you can't focus. This room would drive  _ anyone insane. _ ”

The room was empty other than a rather fancy desk and what looked to be 20 filing cabinets. The desk had no clutter, nothing other than a cup of pens.

The walls were a pale shade of gray, and otherwise empty. 

“Hermes you spent months in a hellish empty room with gray walls.”

“.. _ so? _ ”

“Look around you doof.”

Hermes seemed to just  _ realize _ . “Oh. That. That does explain while I feel anxious whenever I come in here.”

Artemis hooked an arm around his shoulders. “Lets paint the walls.” 

“..what?”

“Come on, it will be fun!”

“I could just will it to happen..”

“Yeah, but we could also  _ spatter a rainbow of paint everywhere and smooth it out later. _ And like, paint murals and stuff!”

“I mean, sure” Hermes waved his hand and all the furniture disappeared, several buckets of paint appeared. 

Artemis smiled.

 

~0~

 

By the time they were finished painting, They were both covered in splatters of paint. Half of Hermes’s face was covered in green paint, and his shirt was more than covered in blue.

Artemis was no better, having gold paint across her nose. 

Hermes looked happier than he had in weeks. 

With a snap of his fingers, Hermes’s furniture popped back into place. 

 

He might not be doing perfect, but, things are getting better. 

He’ll be okay.


End file.
